The Auction
by TechnoGryffin
Summary: Prompt: Could you possibly write a fic of Don and Sloan where she asks him what he would have done if she had auctioned off a date with her rather than her book?


Written with the incomparable e-anomaly . tumblr . com!

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><p>Less than 24 hours ago Don Keefer was kissed by Sloan Sabbath. And less than 24 hours ago he let her go home for the night without kissing her again. Both were running on nothing and he knew that if he pushed her too far that night he might never have a second chance.<p>

So he walked to her office just after she finished her segment on News Night. He brought along to Cokes, knowing she must have something hidden in her desk. "Hey." He said, walking in and sitting down without waiting for an invitation.

Sloan had her bare feet pushing against the open drawer of her desk. The lovely handmade decanter sat unopened in the simple burl wood box; an ornament of Hoti upon the ornament around the bottle's neck. Pyrat Cask 1623, she'd been so very sure to get that kind. It was to be their special bottle. Opened when something big happened; a wedding, a milestone anniversary, a baby. That never happened.

She looked up realizing that Don had sat down in front of her desk and blushed, pulling at her skirt that had hiked up and about her hips. "Hey. What'd you think of the opener?" Sloan had taken a big chance with an aggressive piece.

"I think that I'm very glad that you have the economics background to be able to say things like that. Because Will is out there right now annoyed he couldn't say it. And Elliot is going to be on my ass later at 10 wishing he could say it." Don grabbed one glasses off of the little mini bar area she had set up. "Got anything in your desk?" He asked, pouring each of them a little something.

His eyes wandered up her legs and saw how high the skirt was. He was trying to be a gentleman but looking at her have become somewhat of a hobby to him. "You have the best legs Sabbith."

"Been looking at my legs, huh..." Her mouth went dry, so dry. Licking her lips, Sloan reached into her drawer, pulling out the box. "I've got something you might like." The double meaning of this statement made her grin. "We've had a big 48 hours, Keefer." Sloan grinned. "Care to do the honors?"

"Cute." Don rolled his eyes. He took the box in his hands and slipped the cover off. "Oh you are giving me the good stuff." He had a feeling this was something she got on a trip with her ex but he decided to keep quite. "You have excellent taste." He said as he popped the top and poured each of them a healthy amount into their soda.

"So you kissed me last night. And I liked it. A lot. You want to keep having us kiss? Because I'm all game for that."

Her mouth closed over the rim of the glass and her eyes shut at the taste of the rum; citrus notes and smooth honey with a hint of spice. It was beautiful, much like the island they'd stayed on. A paradise. His words made her watch him closely. "I'd thought about it. I wasn't sure what you thought of it. I hadn't given you much room to say anything."

"What did I think about it?" Don asked, taking a sip of his drink. It tasted like it was made of pure deliciousness. He had to know where she got this so he could get himself a bottle for his office. "I think that I would like the two of us to go to dinner. Get together 3 or 4 nights a week for sleep overs. Have us be a couple."

Sloan licked her lips and tilted her head, eyebrows raised. She crossed her legs and smirked. "Are you sure being a couple is what you want?" She seen what had happened with Maggie, first hand. "You and I both know we aren't really 'couple' people. My track record is horrid."

"My record with women is horrible. And yet when I look at you I can't help but want to give it one more try." Don downed his drink before pouring himself a second one. "Because you push me and you drive me. You make me want to be better. You make me want to work harder, be smarter." He looked at her, his hand reaching across the desk for hers. "I want there to be an us Sloan."

Sloan smiled slowly, running her fingers over the skin of his wrist beneath the wristband of his watch before tracing over his palm. "You do make me laugh, Don. Smile. That kiss surprised me. I wanted to keep going." Sloan drained her drink, sliding the glass onto the desk.

"What would you have done, Don, if it hadn't been a book auction..." Her eyes met his. "What would you have done if I'd auctioned a date, with me?"

Don's eyes popped a little out as he thought of just what he would have done to get that date. "I would have emptied out my savings." He answered honestly. "I would have made sure I won so you didn't have to go out with some investment banker that might want more from you than you were willing to give. Because you're not a whore. And selling yourself for a date is kind of a whore move."

She was surprised, to say the least. "Are you calling me a whore for considering it?"

The blood drained out of Don's face. "No. I mean no. No. No I'm not no." He said, wanting very much to not have such a big mouth.

Sloan nodded, pouring another drink, mostly rum. "Do you know where I bought this bottle? On vacation with my ex-fiancé. He was the last man that I dated." She sipped it, letting the flavor cover her tongue. "Interesting to think that you'd have gone so far, just to keep me safe, or so you say."

Don finished off his second drink and tried to figure out what to say. "Look Sloan, I really like you. And I want us to be together. It wouldn't have been all noble but it also wouldn't have been all self serving. I'm not sure what it would have been honestly."

"Fair enough." Sloan looked at him. "You like me. I think it's obvious I like you. You have your moments. The real question is what we do now."

Don stood up and walked around her desks. He leaned against it, looking down at her. He reached for her hand, inlacing their fingers. "I want us to date. I want us to go to dinner and to kiss. I want the two of us to be together. I want you to be my girlfriend and I want to be your boyfriend."

Sloan thought for a moment. "I'm taking a risk with you, Don. A big one." She was terrified of what would happen. What if they didn't make it... What if they did?

"I know you are." Don whispered. Dating him wasn't always an easy thing. It would be hard personally and professionally. But he also had grown quite a lot since his days of dating Maggie. "We're worth it. Us. You and me." He moved to his knees so he could look at her. "Right?"

She reached out and touched the cowlick at the peak of his forehead, one that he struggled to always keep under control. Fingers threaded through it, memorizing the little lines at the corner of his eyes. "You're handsome. You know that?" Sloan leaned in and kissed his cheek. "We are worth it."

Don moved his hand to the back of her neck. "Tonight, after the 10 pm show, will you go with me to dinner?" He wanted the two of them to have a real date. Even if it would be at 11 pm and both would have put in a full day of work. "We can get waffles."

Sloan nodded, whispering yes. "And coffee. I want to talk to you. About everything." His eyes were hazel. Hazel with little flecks of brown and green. "There's a diner down the street from my apartment. If you'd like."

"I do like." Don bent forward to give her a kiss. The first he initiated. "I want us to work. And for us to work I have to go do my job so I don't get fired. Do you want to come into the control room and watch or stay here?" He asked, moving his hand over her thigh, playing with the end of her skirt.

Her eyes closed, inhaling him. The first kiss they'd had when they were alone. "I would love to watch you work." Seeing him in his element, loving the way he moved; how he commanded the room.

"Come on Money Honey." He teased her. "You can help me though the interview with the Head of the Fed. Elliot's got all the questions but if he goes off book I might need you there to help me keep him honest."

Sloan smiled, leaning in to give him a kiss. "Alright, Boss." Her hand cupped his cheek, loving the feeling of his skin against hers. "When you are ready."


End file.
